Madness

[Carlotta]

C E Basinstoke: As had become the norm for the Barrister as of late, when
dinner had concluded she'd always make her way within the den that was once
her father's and now her own. Books were piled everywhere, including stacks
of parchment, all things being worked upon in the name of the King as well as
that brought forth to the private practice. Her latest was an Irish Earl who
was bringing forth a land dispute. A minor matter that would be quickly
resolved, once proper documentation was provided for her to take before the
Magistrate. Though that wasn't what she was presently working on, it was
instead the Last Will and Testimate of one Otto Kessler, as well as a formal
statement to be sent to the King. Being in the comforts of home, and able to brush off
any social standings to which she was forced to conform to in public, the
gowns of black now hung within her wardrobe, and she had adorned the comforts
of a pair of black cotton breeches, the legs tucked within the tops of leather
riding boots that ended just below the knee. A poet’s shirt, a size and a half
too big, was worn upon her upper torso, tucked into the belted waist line of
pants. Long ebon mane was released from nettings hold and the bun released,
to permit the waves to cascade freely over shoulders, the ends to tail
downwards to hip level. A pair of fine wire rimmed spectacles rested upon the
bridge of her nose, as that quill danced in her hand, copying what she had written
when in the man's presence into a more legal documented form.


Beguiling Rogue: Promises-: Her past shadow. She had called him that, but the
truth of it was quite the opposite. He was there for her trips be they to
prisons, or markets. Be they to meet handsome men, or lackluster ladies. It
might not always be him in physical form, but it was his eyes. She would not
know the tasks he had to perform, the killing of Thomas Cromwell and the
ensuring that Otto Kessler was brought to death in completely real event.
There was no bribing, he would admit the staff was his eyes and ears and that they
had been placed there to watch Kessler, as was his duty to his King. The
witnesses in the Alehouse needed no prodding; Otto Kessler was not a popular
man. Her words however had struck a cord with him, and as much as he wished to
d**n the man for it...as much as he wished to shed this mortal coil that
bound him so. He remembered promises. He remembered a dying man, worrying for
his daughter...and the lie he had told. The last words of Carlotta's father had
not been thanks, they had been a plea. So his eyes, and his body, could be
found at the Greenleaf Manor. He did not know the nature of her meeting with
Otto Kessler, the man was to die. His replacement, whoever it was to be, would no
doubt be under that dead man's command to see to the death of Adolph Morse.
Carlotta Basinstoke was not exactly an ally to Emperor Charles. All in all he
found the Manor to be surprisingly efficient in ways of guard, but even the
greatest of fortress has a way in. Especially when a lone man does not often
factor into the security thoughts of men with money, or military minds. If he
was to come kill her, this would be the way. The sun had set, and the
clouds of a winter evening covered the vast majority of light from the stars
and moon. The garden had a myriad of shapes that could be considered human
like, and they aided his approach. He wasn't as young as he once was, and while
speed and strength had not yet begun their downfall it would only be half a
decade or so before they did. He had long ago stopped relying on them. It was
slow. The balcony, required some physical labor to reach by these older homes
often were built to older methods, and luckily between the growth around it
and the seams of work it didn't take much. He wouldn't put it past a Lady
such as her to carry something that would hurt his person, so before stepping
in front of the glass doorway and making his midriff a comfortable target, he
would break the silence. : Dear me...: Came the familiar baritone of the Fox
as his shadow broke the light plane, how did he get the latch open? Some
secrets would be kept. The French doors swung outward, and the man in black
held a very perplexed...confused expression as his cold kissed features
looked about the study, oddly enough studying.:...This isn't my house at all...

C E Basinstoke: The Captain would be quite correct; the Irish woman was not
one without means of protection. The man may have gotten passed the men who
kept watch over her homestead, those who held no affiliation with the King's
guard, his military nor the King himself. But that left her not unprotected by
her own hand, for in a draw that was opened just to her right, within laid
all the protection she'd possibly need. It would be the sound of the man's
voice that had her looking up and that hand reaching. It removed not from what
it grasped within the drawer, even when she realized whom it was that so
abruptly entered and invaded her privacy unannounced. "Which you knew fully
well before you entered Captain Morse." Blandly stated, a sign of her not being
pleased by his actions. "You could have used the front door, like most civil
people would do." Openly chastising the man as her gaze fixed upon him. Free
hand would turn the parchments face down that rested before her. To keep them
from being viewed openly, and for good cause. "I'm sure you have a perfectly
sound explanation for why you violate me so." A brow to quirk ever so
slightly as she awaited his response.

Beguiling Rogue: Humor-: He turned to close the doors behind him, and in
doing so a smile formed across his lips. The fox within rattling it's cage
before the mask of stoic calm and arrogance settled into place. The doors
were re-latched, secured. He took a moment to look back over the garden, as if
somehow weighing his words. Reality of the situation was that with his back to
her, it made him seem less threatening. When he finally did answer, it was in
a slightly mirth filled explanation. Where was the girl he had joked with in
the markets? Certainly not here.:...You know fully well I am not civil, and
my Lady Carlotta I have yet to violate you, and I rather confident that such
violations will be kept in check by your quick and agile wit....in addition
you still have my balls as I recall...: His arms folded behind back, settling
in the well of his spine. The joke between the pair, he half wondered if she
still kept the bowls he had bought her, pewter and brass. : I am here under
your father's orders, you remember the night of his death I am sure. I regret
bringing it up but I told you that he whispered his thanks to me...: He went
about the conversation as if it were but the weather spoke of: In
reality the man bade me to protect his daughter. I spent quite a few nights
cursing him for it, but find that I am un-able to deny the desire of him for
it has become my own desire. You make enemies far quicker than friends
Barrister, for in each of your judgments there is a loosing party. Otto
Kessler is not a man to spend time alone with for extended periods, he is
dead and death caused great leaps of stupidity...:He lectured her, right back.:...Have
you thought upon my suggestion?...

C E Basinstoke: As for the woman he faced in the market, she was quite the
same, nothing had changed about her. The only difference between then and now
was the pressure of position held, the increase of her work load that claimed
every waking moment of her day. It would be his question to her still
having claim of his representative bullocks that gained him just the
slightest of grins. "Yes, they are well taken care of; I shall see they
returned to you this night." It would be his comment about her father that took her back as
she just stood there looking at the man as if he just sprouted horns. "You
lied to me about my father's last words?" Incredulous. Was the man even able
of telling the truth? "Or you do so now for some ulterior motive." Eyes
narrowed slightly as she stood from her seat, keeping the desk between them
and that draw close at hand. "I know I have made enemies, and it's only going
to get worse before it's better. What assurances do I have that you are not one
sent here to see to my own demise?" Trust? The woman had little for many,
especially those who float in and out of her life like a wraith. For now,
she'd not answer his last question, for she had a few of her own at present.

Beguiling Rogue: Trust-: He moved forward, a slow pace meant to show lack of
aggression. His seat was one before her desk, a familiar sprawl as his legs
spread in male comfort and his arms came to drape on those of the chair. He
took a slight lean, his head thingying to side as he regarded her, listening
rather intently. After her silence, more extended. It was thought that now
grasped him, he had assumed this would take place but did not think ahead. He
thought it better if she saw him actually weigh his words: To the foremost, I
would rather you keep them. As such I know they are safe...to the secondary
yes. I lied about your father's last words, they scared me in addition I
thought you would be angry at me for them. I have no reason to lie, as it was I
who brought you to him...on his death bed. Nor do I think you honestly
believe the man merely thanked me, you knew your father...I did not. It would
not be wise for me to attempt to lie about him. Lastly, if I were to kill you,
you would not be aware of my presence. I would not leave tracks in the snow
of your garden, and as aforementioned I could not kill you. The day your death
is ordered is the day you are on a ship to the new world. I will have enough
ghosts to haunt me; I do not need your fathers. Trust factors in that I need
you, without you Otto Kessler's trial will not be as successful. Whomever
replaces him will be just as vile and ignorant, but more careful. I can assume also
that they will seek my heart, should I die you would be the only person left
to piece together the remaining puzzles. I have already planned for the event
of that, you are crucial. Other than that, I guess you'll just have to
decide for yourself my Lady Carlotta...

C E Basinstoke: A long silence would follow after his words as she stood
there looking at him in an open study. "Then let me clear your conscious of
my father's moment of mental laps, I remove you from any obligation you feel
you hold to him, or to me by his dying wish. You are discharged without prejudice
Captain. I am in no need of a nanny or nurse maid, and to be quite frank I
don't need anyone trailing after me to impede nor possibly interfere with my
workings and investigations." She'd remain standing even as he sat; trust
was still a great factor here. "As for Mister Kessler, he will never stand
trial and I do not view him quite as the monster you've painted him to be.
Guilty he may be of his crimes, but what he did was not out of malice or intent
to harm any but the guilty." Sounding much like the man's defense lawyer at
the moment, instead of the very person who had sealed Otto's fate with her
work. A fate that would never been seen through. It would seem Adolph and many
others were about to be robbed of their gloating session. Perhaps Otto won
against them in a small way with how all would end for the man, as well as
paying the greatest of all prices to his God for the sins he's committed in his
life.

Beguiling Rogue: Truth-: This...this he could not stomach. He smiled at her;
her releasing of her father's request meant nothing. Obviously she would be
aware of that. Adolph didn't want Otto dead, he wanted him disgraced.
Ignorance he could account for, whoever replaced Otto Kessler would be a new threat.
Still he let the barrister gloat in her self righteousness, standing up for
the poor man like she was: Pathetic...a few hours alone with him,
apparently that is what it takes with women. You, you I had expected to be smarter.
Did you actually think his and the Queen's plot to kill Wosley was the
reasoning for his arrest? Wosley doesn't want this divorce either
Carlotta...better to let Kessler kill Wosley then arrest him after the fact, getting rid of two
birds with one stone. Use your head dear woman, Otto Kessler was a man for a
Spanish Emperor...you already pieced that puzzle together. Wosley was merely
a target of Otto Kessler's arrogance, the man wanted to kill him to prove
his power...o he might say otherwise, but Wosley was never slotted for death
until he refused to kiss the feet of Kessler. Otto Kessler got the aid of the
Queen for a very specific reason, Wosley didn't want the divorce...the Queen
had no reason to kill him. Otto Kessler offered her something she could
refuse, Kessler offered her no male heirs...his real target was the Lady Anne
Boleyn, specifically any woman the King bedded or was going to bed that could
produce a male heir. Your precious man who, wasn't a monster, was making
England a fat sleeper to be raped by Spain. What do you think will happen if
Spain floods these boarders? You think they will just ask everyone to politely
bow to them, and go about their merry lives? Otto Kessler is dying because he
intended to theoretically kill a child who has not yet been conceived....

[Carlotta]

C E Basinstoke: Where normally his words would have drawn forth that Irish
temper, instead it would not be her reaction at all. Yes, he just greatly
insulted her, and she'd let that be known. "It has nothing to do with the
fact he's a man, or I a woman, and I take great insult in the fact you would state
such a thing." Eyes narrowed as she gazed upon him. "The man said some things
that were quite impactual, implications that reach much higher than what you
suggest, Captain." She maintained her temper, but her ire would shine brightly.
"Are these facts? Or speculations of your own? You are making an open
accusation against the Queen of England, accusations that would bring a
charge of treason upon her own head. Mister Hessler is nothing more than a pawn; he
holds no power of his own, except that which you have given him. If you had
taken the time to fully investigate, I'm sure you not only would have found
this out, but perhaps those who might be involved." Her hand would lift and
indicate the window, although she was referring to that tower so distant from
there. "Mister Kessler will not live through the night I'm sure, he has the
consumption." Letting Adolph know the man was basically already dead. "As for whom
he was in alliance with, that will not be easily founded. If his target was
the Lady Anne, his death does not remove her as such. It just means who ever
set Mister Hessler up for this, will simply replace him." Now it was she
lecturing the man before her. "So you tell me, Captain. You sit before me, as
a member of the court and say to yet another the Queen is the man's co
conspirator. Something, that by the laws of our King, I have to take seriously. Are you
ready to stand before his Majesty and tell him is wife is a part of the
treason against the very State in which she holds possession of the Royal
crown?"

Beguiling Rogue: Belief-:He could not honestly belief her, the deal they had
made all those nights ago in the carriage was apparently off...she had broken
it now in her lack of memory. His face changed, the stoic expression of the
Fox was back and he knew only sadness. She had broken that agreement, torn
it asunder by her demand of him. No longer could he tell her a thing, no
longer could she be privy. By her demand she had lost anything the man knew,
apparently to her he knew very little. There was no anger in him at her insults,
for they were levied as such. Just a vast confusion that he so misjudged
someone, she held not the logic he had thought. No...She would grasp at the
words of a man dying, she would make assumptions so terrible and regrettable that
he knew not how to steer her from them. Her soap box was high, and apparently
Otto Kessler would be an angel before the night was done: Dead men say
a lot. As for me, I must be mistaken. I do know o so little, perhaps I had to
much to drink and you must forgive by a lowly Captain of such...: She was a
fool; the Queen could not be prosecuted for a d**n thing unless the King
asked for it. The truth was one thing, getting yourself killed was another. She was
deaf to him, he had said twice now on two separate occasions he did not want
Otto Kessler dead for the man would just be replaced by another. Deaf again
for it was not the Queen where the issue lay, but foreign shores and
others who still lay in the ground work.:...You should go talk to Otto
Kessler again, I am sure he will tell you fantastic things before he dies.
Wonderful things, you the Lady who put him in behind the bars. Better yet, why not save
yourself the trouble and slit your throat now. I made a promise to your
father, I cannot keep it. His will not be the only spirit to haunt in my
death, so I will deal with it as: I may. Is there anything else Lady?...

C E Basinstoke: And he was being deaf to her as well, for she was looking
for the bigger fish to fry. The one behind all of this, for it was implicated
and the one who had done such, was an emissary in the one's name. His comment about Otto did infuriate her so. "You are a pompous ass, Captain Morse, a strutting peathingy if I ever saw one." Eyes
narrowed upon him. "If you think it the best course of action, then do it
yourself." Hand would reach into the drawer and withdraw the dagger that lay within.
With a downward thrust of her fist, anger the strength behind the move, she'd
embed the tip within the desks top before him. "You have no idea, not a clue
as to what I'm involved in. You like to assume with that vivid imagination
of yours. Well let me tell you one thing right here and now. There is much
more to this than even you are privy to, and I won't be surprised that
shortly after my bringing it to the proper attention, I sign my death warrant." Chin
lifted with a regal pose, her defiance glimmered brightly in her eyes. "I'm
sorry if I've been such an imposition to you, perhaps you'll find a better
replacement with one of the other Barristers." With that she turned upon a booted
heel and began to storm towards the door. Oh yeah, she was pissed!

Beguiling Rogue: Anger-:It flashed in him, red and hot. It was something he
hadn't felt in a long time, a very long time. But it was a combination of
several factors, one...a peathingy. That was the title of Thomas Cromwell, and
the equally late Otto Kessler. He was many things, but he was better than those
men. The dagger was grabbed and with deftness sent in motion, it came so
close to her as to slice through the trailing strands of her hair...three
fell to the floor below before it embedded in door. She had not seen him like this,
she would now. He was a killer, he was born for it...and it was speed and
strength he used. The fact of the matter was he was stronger, faster, and
spent a life at this. Her body was gathered up and tossed with little care or
consumption right back into the chair her bony little ass had previously
occupied, before that desk of hers. The rage burned in his dark eyes,
momentarily...but this all came crashing down. Sealed back inside like a fire momentarily
lapping at the fuel. His voice was calm, startling so.:...You are an
imposition to me. For I desire you to live, I desire the joy that you bring
me in such small moments of conversation where you laugh so innocent and naive. You
little girl, you little fool. Do you think I don't know? O you shall run off
to the King you shall warn him of Emperor Charles, of ties to the Queen and
whatever else Kessler killed you with. I don't know? Are you that ignorant? You
think I blunder through life, blunder my way past the likes of Thomas
Cromwell and Otto Kessler? Yet still here I stand. Still England stands, war
has not come to us. For one bloody second use your mind, the King already knows
what you are to say...it is dealt with in the land of shadows, it is on a
knife's edge and a silly little Barrister who can't keep her mouth shut and
thinks she is doing the world some legal grandeur to bring charges against
every royal figure, or accusations and thoughts to the holy Emperor...will be
cut in twain. For if things were to happen your way, will the Emperor Charles
merely admit mistake say he is sorry and his cousin the Queen suddenly pop out
a boy between her legs? It would be war...it would be the death of
thousands...What is wrong with your head?...

C E Basinstoke: When the blade sailed passed her head, a gasp would sound
and she'd turn in an about face towards him, only to find him upon her. His
hands grasping her in a manner that bruises would indeed be left upon tender
flesh. Manhandled and tossed like a rag doll into that chair. He thinks she was
pissed before? That had now generated into pure rage, with the combination of
his insults tossed at her. It was all she could do to keep from springing
forth and wanting to scratch his eyes out at the very second. Eyes narrowed,
features took on a mask of fury. "As for the information on the Emperor
Charles, how short your memory is, Captain Morse, for it was by your words
that such was ever first thought of." How as that for a slap in the man's face. By
his own admission, but using Otto's name instead, he had set her up to be
marked for death when he veered her on that path. "And as for charges, I
never had any intent to bring such forth." Snapped back at him. "And if his Majesty
already knew the context of what I wished to say to him, then bigger motions
would be underway. Like I said, you have no clue of what you speak about. If
I ran my mouth as you like to say I do, then you'd understand exactly who the
fool is at the moment." Slowly sitting up on her chair, hands in motion to
straighten that poets shirt that had been disarranged by his forced motion.
"And if you think you can intimidate or shame me into speaking of it now, you're
greatly mistaken." Glare directed up at him. "I will not be a pawn in anyone’s
game, nor a puppet for one to master. What I have to say has been researched
and investigated,: it has nothing to do with the confession of a dying man,
even if he was unwitting to what he said."

Beguiling Rogue: Truth-:Annoyance was there, he was silent for quite some
time after she spoke, there was no action, no long winded
speech.:...Think...about, what I said...:It was like it went in one ear, and
out the other.:...My job is to deliver info-....Never mind. Whatever you supposedly know that is so
vast and wonderful you must share it, I will hear about at some point,
hopefully it does not involve your death or mine. I will see myself out.
:With this he made his way back towards the balcony. : Goodbye Lady Carlotta.

C E Basinstoke: "If you weren't such a jerk when most times when I see you,
things might be different." Right out with it, the man has done little to
gain her respect or trust. He floats in and out of her life like a dream,
then expects her to simply stand in awe of his words, taking them to heart as
the solid truth? He was a spy, a man who lived a life of deceit, twisted
tales and compounding of lies. He placed such high expectations upon her, she
had no room but to do anything other than fail in his eyes. "Perhaps one day my
actions will gain your respect, for it seems you hold so little of it for
me." Pushing up from her chair, while he headed for the balcony, she would
make way towards the door until she turned to pause and work the dagger free from
where it had embedded within the wall when he threw it towards her. If he had
meant for it to hit her, it would be imbedded within her back, this she
openly knew.

Beguiling Rogue: Actions-:Merely a shrug greeted her, though she would not
see it since her eyes moved elsewhere with her body.:...You lost any respect
I had for you. I regret taking you to see your father, I regret spending time
with you in the marketplace, and going out of my way to ensure you were
seen and socialized. If I had things to do over again, I would have let you
be killed on the docks that night...For I am a terrible jerk. :He had never
heard such insanity but once, and that was from the lips of Otto Kessler.
Perhaps Otto Kessler did win, for in some way he apparently brought about the
changes in Lady Carlotta. He could not recall one other meeting they had in
which they had argued extensively, nor traded insults. He could recall only
fairly pleasant interactions given the events, but apparently that was not
the case. Why did it bother him so much? It merely confirmed that this was
perhaps a good thing to happen, any sort of attachment to anything was
regrettable.:...My problem was that I held so much, and was not prepared for
such from you. A mistake I will not make again. Good night...:He said, for
the third time. The French doors opened, and closed behind. He had no desire to hear
whatever else she had to say, for it would cause only more of that discomfort
and confusion.:

C E Basinstoke: Like a whirlwind she turned on him, that Irish fury had been
brought to a full head. She had been under mounds of stress and duress,
something that the man's arrogance seemed to simply over look. "Then do it!"
She'd bellow after him and her stride across the room would have her following soon
after, pulling those doors open wide. "Correct your mistake!" Anger seethed
in her words as her arms were held to her sides leaving her an open target.
"End it right here and now, because believe me, you'll be doing me a favor!"
She had, had enough! He was the straw that broke the camels back. The
emotional rollercoaster she's had to endure alone since her parents death,
the stress of the situation dealing with Kessler and the compiling of information for
the King had taken it's toll. "I'm sure with the way you think and feel about
me, it should be but a simple task!"

Beguiling Rogue: Odd Code-:He made his way away from her, he wanted nothing
more to do with this. He needed to get far away, such a night it had promised
to me. A decent night...where he not fend off the advances of some woman,
where he need not worry for his every word. He could ensure her safety. In
the end, he could not keep her safe from herself. He did just that, he got
away from her. He made no secret of it as he removed himself from the balcony
with less grace than he had brought himself up it, only once in the garden did
he feel he could respond.:...You are the King's barrister...:He offered over
his shoulder. There would be no further explanation, in addition there was
the promise to her father. :

C E Basinstoke: To the balconies edge she'd move and look out over it. "Only
cowards run." Would be her last words shouted out. She would then turn upon
heel and enter back into the room, closing the doors so hard they actually
shattered. Not that she paid any attention to this, as she stormed across the
room to exit the den to seek out the study, and the bottle of Irish whiskey
she knew was waiting there. Why did the man rile her so? Was it because of
the accusations placed against the man that had her enacting so? Perhaps more the
pressures of what she dealt with, alone, no one she felt safe she could talk
to. She lived in a world of constant paranoia, and nothing seemed to offer
her comfort. Least of all a man she seen perhaps once ever few months. "How dare
he!" Seethed as she slammed the study doors closed once she entered and
began to take her frustrations out on the furniture, or anything else she
could get her hands upon until she found herself spent from exertion.